Having upper and lower jaw surgery

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#1 Post by **James0099** » Sat Mar 27, 2010 6:41 pm

Hey guys I have some questions. I'm having the upper and lower jaw surgery done in July, I had my braces on for nearly 2 years now. I am really nervous about the surgery and its hard for me to stop thinking about it, just surgery in general makes me really nervous.

I was wondering how does it feel like when you wake up from the surgery? Are you in pain or are you all drugged up and not feel much? Also I heard that you have trouble breathing at first, is that true?

They want me to get genioplasty also, they didn't say I need to but that it usually goes well with the rest of the surgery. Do people normally get this also with it? That part of the surgery my insurance doesn't cover so it is an additional 3,500 dollars.

Before you get the surgery do they show you how you are going to look after it?

The screws that they put into you to hold the jaw, do you get them taken out eventually?

Anyone ever experience any problems after it? Anyone know if the surgery can cause sleep apnea? (my father has that and they want him to have jaw surgery to pull his jaw out because of this)

How long do you normally stay at the hospital for? My surgeon told me I go there Tuesday evening and be out Wednesday, is that the normal amount of time spent there?

I appreciate any response.

#2 Post by **Audra** » Sun Mar 28, 2010 7:00 am

I haven't had the surgery yet, so can't answer how you will feel when you wake up. But I can answer some of your other questions.

As far as your nervousness goes, maybe get some meditation or hypnosis cd's or mp3's. I have had surgeries before and found that it helps a lot.

I am having both upper and lower jaws done, but no genio. It wasn't even offered. Some people get all three, but there are just as many who don't.

A lot of people report difficulty breathing afterwards because your mouth is banded shut and your nose is stuffed up. They provide an oxygen mask after surgery and you're told to use q-tips to clear your nose and also suction devices. This is the part I worry about the most actually.

Some people get computerized photos of what they will look like. My OS has not done that.

The screws are not normally removed, but people have had them removed if they are bothering them. If you just don't like the idea of the metal in there, you could probably ask your OS if he will remove them at some point for you. Typically they stay there forever.

I have not heard of the surgery causing sleep apnea. My OS has said that it has been shown to help sleep apnea however.

I have been told I will be at the hospital for two nights, but can stay longer if I need to. With having both jaws done, the information I received from the hospital pre-admission clinic has stated that I "may" spend 24 hours in intensive care unit just so I can be closely monitored and have one one one care. This is probably due to the breathing issue. After the 24 hours I'll be moved to a regular unit and go home the next day.

Hope that helps, and good luck

#3 Post by **revolutionary** » Sun Mar 28, 2010 9:16 am

Hey! I had the surgery on the 18th. Call me weird, but I kinda looked forward to what it would be like going under... I wasn't even really nervous, but maybe that's because I have a lot of trust and confidence in my team, and they were very straightforward with me - they didn't sugarcoat anything or act like it would be a walk in the park, nor did they freak me out with every gory detail and 1 in 10 million side effect.

I had both jaws done for an underbite/open bite, with no genioplasty (I don't even know what it is..). Surgery was at 6am Thursday, I left the hospital around noon on Friday. I did wake up groggy, but for me at least it was a peaceful kind of groggy. Best sleep I ever had. The worst part in the first few hours was everyone waking me up to poke and prod me.

I woke up with a breathing tube down my right nostril and a feeding tube down my left. They took the breathing one almost immediately after I was half-conscious, and the feeding one stayed in overnight. I did have trouble breathing at first... But I had an oxygen mask and a suction device to drain out the fluids as much as possible.. And there are a LOT of fluids. A lot of gross, slimy, bloody, yucky crap comes out. It's yucky. And weird. But you know what? I won't lie, it does suck in the moment. BUT i's over really, really quick. And now that I'm 10 days out? It almost feels like it was 10 weeks ago.

I did get computerized photos, but only of my profile. My OS told me they can't accurately predict what someone will look like from the front, because there are too many variables. And yeah, the screws are permanent.

#4 Post by **bitewonder** » Sun Mar 28, 2010 10:47 am

The appliance is permanent I got to see the my xray the other day and saw all the gear in my jaw pretty cool! Even if the suregon wants to take it off after the bone heals.. I will refuse.

With surgery there is always risks, that is why they make you sign a huged waiver during pre-admissions and also at the surgeons office. I already had jaw surgery almost 2 weeks agos so for the actual process I will try and summarize it.

As the surgery date approaches:
1. The ortho and maxo surgeon will take xrays, molds etc for the before/after look and make a surgical template
2. You will go to the hosptial pre-admissions office the day before in my case to feel forms get a surgery time, feel waivers, they will do blood pressure, ECG, ask about medications you take etc any other factors that will affect your surgery.
3. I also saw my anesthesiologist were he told me the risks - Eg. complications, awareness during the operations will be kinda freeeeky!!
4. Also NO foods and liquids (including water) after midnight the day before surgery.
5. They also gave me pamplets on jaw surgery blenderized diets etc

On the day of surgery, at the hospital you go to pre-admissions, they gave me a wrist band - showed me the waiver and consent form I signed before.

Took me to the pre-surgery area, were they take your belongings to transfer to your recovery ward.
They took BP again and hooked me up to IV the first time -they started with antibiotics and liquids right away. The next step was to the OR...

After the OR i waked up at intensive care unit which is normal. Even at the OR they hooked me up to several gadgets to monitor heart/breathing etc.. the anesthesiologist mixes the drugs to keep the level and maintain your comatoes state.

I was told the anaesthetics process the waking up is the most important stage. You wake up groggy I did not feel any pain but then I have been told I have a high tolerance for pain. My surgery went pretty smooth. Swelling is the most annoying part. I also had a fixed surgical splint on my upper and elastic bands.. I did not have any appetite and felt a bit of nausea.. but the nurses are good, they juiced me up with the meds I need. so I was ok.

I also had incisions on both my lower cheeks.. so the nurse applied polysporin but it was stiched up and it healed properly.. its not very visible

They also ask if you feel any pain, if you do then they will add more analgesics- perocet/morhpine in your IV... they also keep you hydrated through the IV and load you up with antibiotics as well. When you sleep in your ward make sure keep your head kinda upright you can adjust the bed reclining angle. I also brought my Ipod since I will be in the hospital for 2 days.. Good luck !

#5 Post by **lealicious** » Sun Mar 28, 2010 5:04 pm

The thing I worry about sometimes is having a reaction to the anaesthetic. I hear that it makes some people feel sick after surgery, any surgery not just jaw surgery, and they end up vomiting when they wake up. I have a really weak stomach, and lots of things make me gag - like the texture of avocado, or changing a nappy... So I'm worried about vomiting when I wake up after the surgery. I'm not going to think about it too much until my surgery, which won't be for a while. But I may request anti-sickness drugs just in case.

#6 Post by **OhioM** » Sun Mar 28, 2010 6:04 pm

Hi, I can address how the question about waking up. I did not expect to be in any pain when I woke up, since they had told me about the morphine pump that would be attatched to my IV. However, I actually woke up in the OR before they wheeled me to recovery, and before I got the morphine. I did have some jaw joint discomfort, but mostly I had a splitting headache. There was no pain from the actual surgery, because your nerves are damaged at that point, but the headache was a solid 10 on the pain scale and I was doing a pretty big moan and groan routine. I remember being wheeled to the recovery area, and the nurse gave me some pain shots here and there, and that combined with the morphine pump that they got going got my pain level down to about a 3 within an hour. I don't think this is typical - most people wake up already in recovery all doped up.

I did struggle with the breathing, to the point that my OS removed my bands before I left the hospital. My nose was solidly plugged, and my mouth was swollen shut, so when I slept, I would continually be awoken by a lack of oxygen. Horrible. Just keep communicating with your caregivers if this is a big problem. They are there to make sure you don't die from suffocation!

The screws are not taken out unless you have problems with them later - like an infection, or loosening.

I stayed in the hospital for 2 horrible nights. The best thing that ever happened to me was to get out of there. I didn't have a very good nursing care experience.

#7 Post by bb » Sun Mar 28, 2010 6:26 pm

1. waking up- groggy no pain, breathing fine
2. Genio- sounds quite normal.
3. He showed me 3 outlines on my side profile x-ray of how I would look post-op. Fairly accurate!
4. Screws- are there to stay
5. No problems so far- sleep apnea or otherwise

#8 Post by **James0099** » Mon Mar 29, 2010 7:33 pm

Thanks everyone for taking the time to answer my questions.

About the tube they put in your nose, I am just wondering how far do they put that tube in there? Does it feel weird?

#9 Post by **revolutionary** » Thu Apr 01, 2010 11:24 pm

the tubes were probably the weirdest for me. The feeding tube (the NG tube) goes from your nose all the way into your stomach. It's how you're fed for most of your stay. The breathing tube just goes a short distance into your throat.

#10 Post by **Audra** » Fri Apr 02, 2010 7:02 am

An NG tube isn't typically a feeding tube. Usually it goes into your stomache to suck stuff out - not to feed you.

#11 Post by **James0099** » Fri Apr 02, 2010 12:16 pm

I thought they feed you through IV? That must feel weird having a tube go from your nose all the way to your stomach.

The tube they use for breathing, how far does that one go down?

#12 Post by **Audra** » Fri Apr 02, 2010 1:28 pm

When I was in the hospital with a bowel obstruction 2 years ago, I had an NG tube as my intestines would not tolerate anything going through it, even water. I had an IV for fluids and electrolytes. I did not have anything to eat or drink for 10 days until my bowel woke up after they removed the adhesions that were causing the obstruction. They don't feel weird. They feel awful. I hated it. It hurt to swallow and it just made me miserable. Of course, I had it in for 5 days so that probably didn't help and I was awake when they put it in. I have to say that I'd rather wake up with one of those than throw up blood though so it's all relative.

I had an oxygen tube. It did not go "down" anywhere. It has two prongs that fit just inside your nostrils and that is it. It seems for this surgery, that they may give an oxygen mask instead as you get more oxygen that way. If someone has an actual "breathing tube" it goes into your lungs through your vocal cords and you are unable to talk. Most people having jaw surgery would not wake up with one of those.

#13 Post by **James0099** » Fri Apr 02, 2010 2:29 pm

I won't be there for 5-10 days, my surgeon told me that I would only spend 1 night there. I go Tuesday afternoon or evening I forget what he said, then leave Wednesday.

#14 Post by **James0099** » Fri Apr 02, 2010 2:31 pm

So if I have it, it won't be in for long I guess.

#15 Post by **Audra** » Fri Apr 02, 2010 3:32 pm

No, it won't be for long if you do have it.

I was in the hospital for 10 days because I was extremely sick.